Talk to the Dragon
by ardavenport
Summary: Gaius runs into an old acquaintance who might give him a little reputation.
1. Chapter 1

**TALK TO THE DRAGON**

by ardavenport

**- - - Part 1**

* * *

><p>Gaius got Merlin up early to go to the market. While Merlin washed, Gaius glanced back into his room, making sure the boy hadn't fallen asleep over his book of magic and left it out. He had only done that once, but the possible consequences from such carelessness were so dire that Gaius made a habit of checking anyway. He knew that Merlin stayed up late studying magic, but he didn't comment about where all the candle stubs were going to.<p>

After they had their morning porridge, he handed Merlin a basket and they were out of the castle just after sunup. New traders from the south had arrived in the town at sundown and Gaius wanted to see what they had.

"Come along, Merlin," he admonished as they made their way down the packed earth lane. Farmers were still arriving with their vegetables, roots, berries. Some had grapes and early apples. Only half the sellers had their stalls open. The newcomers were easy to spot at the end of the lane where the traders had set up a white and red tent. The morning air was scented with the usual morning cook fires, straw and animal excrement.

"Merlin!"

His young assistant had stopped to talk to a girl from the castle kitchen and a goat herd. Nudging goats out of his way, Merlin hurried to him with his basket. Gaius turned his attention to the new trader's wares.

Frowning, he supposed that Lady Morgana or some other court ladies might be happy with the colorful foreign cloths and trims and shiny buttons. There were some very fine needles, good for sewing up wounds, but the trader was asking far too much for them and they were not any better than the ones he already had. He did not see any herbs that he didn't already have in adequate quantities as well. Goldenseal, coriander, calendula, chamomilla. He sighed, shaking his head. Merlin looked a little interested, but he was young. There was nothing really new here. Gaius straightened and turned around to go. . . .

. . . . and almost bounced off of an enormous woman's bosom. He hastily backed up into Merlin who dropped the basket and yelped in protest.

"Ow!"

Gaius stared back at the equally surprised woman. Blue dress and white under-dress puffed out over her prominent bosom, hair gone white with age, but her round face was lined with few wrinkles. He squinted at it; he knew that face . . . .

"Myrna?"

"Gaius?"

He could not believe it. What was _she_ doing in Camelot? Her eyes darted to either side.

"Gaius!"

She grabbed him, pinning his arms with her ample body pressed into him.

"Aaaah!" He tried to pull away, but she had him.

"Ow!" Merlin yelped again.

She pulled back.

"Gaius!"

She grabbed the sides of his head and pressed her lips onto mouth. He kept his lips shut tight as she tried to suckle them. Then she ecstatically pulled back, her eyes lit up with apparent happiness.

"Gaius!"

She grabbed him again in another tight hug that he could not escape. Her hair smelt strongly of rose-scented soap.

"Myrna! Myrna! Get off of me!"

She let him go and stepped back, admiring.

"Oooooh, Gaius, you always did like to play hard to get."

He couldn't believe it. He did _not_ play games like that. And certainly not with Witch Myrna. He sneered in digust. But something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Merlin was grinning, his eyes on Myrna's ample cleavage.

"Merlin!"

He startled and stumbled backward, hopping and hitting his shin on a tent pole.

"Ow!"

"What's wrong with you, Merlin?" he demanded, annoyed.

"Oh nothing; I think you only put half your weight on my feet when you stepped on them. I wasn't planning on using them today, anyway." He sounded a bit cross, but then he went back to grinning. Gaius hastily batted away Myrna's hand as it darted under his chin.

"Stop that!"

She replied with a high pitched giggle, her hands fluttering. "My, my, it is so good to see you. We can catch up on old times," she gushed.

Merlin still grinned, but before Gaius could chastise him again, he started backing away.

"Um, I'm sure you'll want to catch up. And . . . I've got to get to Arthur's room, he'll be getting up and I have to take him his breakfast . . . ." He backed away with a little bit of a limp and then made his escape down the lane with Gaius scowling after him. He turned back to Myrna.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed.

On their left, the trader with the over-priced needles conspicuously dusted off his merchandise within easy listening distance of them. He grabbed the basket, her arm and dragged her away down the lane. As soon as they were away from other people, she dropped her flirtatious attitude, tugged her arm back and picked up her skirts as they stepped around the horse droppings on the road.

"What are you doing in Camelot?" he demanded.

"Believe me, I wouldn't be here if it weren't absolutely necessary." She grimaced and shook her head.

"Well?"

She sighed as they moved to the side of the road while a cart and rider went by. "Oh, Gaius, I really didn't want you to see me. I just wanted to come, do what I needed to do and get out."

"Really? You certainly have a funny way of not being seen."

"Well, when you recognized me, I had to think of some reason you knew me, other than maybe . . . . we did some '_magic'_ together when we were both a bit younger and spryer." She did not actually speak the word 'magic', just mouthed it emphatically.

"We did _not_ . . . " Gaius warily looked around for any passersby ". . . do anything of the sort. With you or any of that coven you are part of. We only exchanged information on a very few occasions."

"Not so much a part of these days. Oh, the old gang is still around. We've moved apart a bit, but we still get together on the solstices. That's actually one of the reasons why I'm here," she finished with a grumble.

"And what would that be?"

She eyed him, obviously considering what she would tell him. And she quickly scanned the area, but there was no one near enough to hear, either on the road or around any of the nearby buildings.

"I have to talk to the dragon."

Gaius stopped, turned and stared. "You want to talk to the dragon?"

"No, I _have_ to talk to the dragon."

"Why? Surely you know you can't trust a dragon."

"I think I can get a straight answer about one thing."

"What?"

Myrna's shoulders dropped and she pushed her white hair back from her face. "It's a long story, you don't really want to hear this, do you?"

Gaius just stared at her.

"Right. Well, Lethann wants to kill Belocc. But only after making her suffer a great deal first. Because Lethann thinks that Belocc killed her son."

"Why would she think that?" Gaius asked; he didn't know who Lethann was, but he was pretty sure that Belocc was one of the women from her coven.

"Because Belocc told Lethann that she did it."

"I suppose that would be a good reason."

"Except that Belocc didn't do it."

"Well, then why would she say that she did?"

"Because Belocc didn't like Lethann's son. And she's not that enamored of Lethann either."

"What does this have to do with the dragon?"

"Because I think the dragon did it."

"Why?"

"Oooooh, so many reasons. He was an idiot. He used his magic to create a 'dragon saddle'. And then he tried to use it. And his body was a smoking charcoal corpse when they found it in the ruins of Boann."

"There were no survivors. That village was completely destroyed."

"Except for the dragon who burned it down."

"Oh. You have a point there," Gaius conceded with a nod. "But how is talking to the dragon going to settle this? And why is this coming up now? That happened ages ago."

"Because Lethann has been stuck in the Misty Lands all this time and just got herself back. Those places are like that." Myrna sighed. Anyway now she's back, found her son is dead and she's out for revenge."

"Well, what will talking to the dragon do? You can't very well take it back with you."

Myrna dug into a pouch hanging from a belt around her waist and brought out a golden amulet on a leather cord. "If I get the dragon to breath on this, I can use a spell on Cordin's corpse to prove that he died by dragon fire."

Gaius eyed the amulet as she stuffed it back into the pouch. "Well, then won't Lethann just want revenge on the dragon for killing her son?"

"Lethann isn't crazy enough to go after a dragon. And certainly not one that is chained up under the castle with the crazy king in it," she finished angrily through gritted teeth. "Ban magic does he? How does Uther ban magic? How does anyone ban magic? Might as well tell the wind not to blow or the seasons not the change." She lowered her voice and didn't say anymore until a a young man leading a horse and cart were well past them. "It's in the land, it's part of the world. Who does he think he is, banning magic?"

"He's the king. And the king can ban whatever he likes."

Myrna eyed him suspiciously. "You're not going to turn me in, Gaius?"

He kept his tongue for a few seconds, just long enough to make her worry. "No, of course not," he finally reassured her. "But it's not safe for you to be here. For any reason. I would strongly advise that you figure out some other way to settle this witch feud of yours."

"I just need a moment with the dragon. I'm just going to go in and out as quick as I can and then I'll be off. But . . . " her lips curled in a slow smile and she stepped closer, " . . . I could be a mite quicker if I had a little help getting in the castle. From someone on the inside."

Back stiffening, Gaius drew away from her. "Absolutely not. That would be treason." He held up a warning finger. "I may not be willing to turn you in, but I absolutely cannot help you if you get caught. And anyone using magic in this kingdom is burned at the stake."

Her face puckered in dismay. "I know that. I lost a few friends to Uther's purges. But he can't burn me if I'm not using any magic to get in and out of his castle."

"And how are you going to do that?" he asked, puzzled. He didn't know that Myrna did anything without magic.

She straightened, tugging her dress into place and thrusting out her ample bosom. "I have my own womanly ways. There's more than one way to get in and out of a castle. Castles are full of nothing but men and men have plenty of weaknesses."

Gaius flinched. Yes, there were a few things that Myrna did without magic. She was a bit older, but still full in the body. "I'm not going to ask. But I might remind you that they do still throw people in the dungeons for certain uses of 'womanly ways'."

"Well, I'm not going to tell you." She bobbed her head for emphasis. "And if you're not going to help, Gaius, the less you know, the better." She turned and strode away.

"Wait - - "

"It's been lovely chatting with you, Gaius, but I've got quite a lot to do today."

He held up a hand, his mouth open to object, but he stopped. There really wasn't any more to say. She continued down the road to the trader tents and was soon lost in the crowd.

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><p><strong>- - - End Part 1<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**TALK TO THE DRAGON**

by ardavenport

* * *

><p><strong>- - - Part 2<strong>

Gaius spent a worrisome afternoon and a fretful evening going about his tasks. But there were no alarms. He was not worried that Myrna was any danger to the kingdom. But he would not wish to see her burned for sorcery.

"Is something bothering you?" Merlin asked as they tidied up their rooms before retiring.

"Hmmm?" He drew back. "Bothering me? No, why would you think that?"

Merlin shrugged. "Oh, well, maybe because you've been jumping up every time someone knocks on the door."

Gaius glanced at the heavy wooden door of their chamber.

"Or looking there even when there isn't anyone there," Merlin finished. "Are you expecting something to happen?"

Gaius gave the young man a sour look. But he wasn't about to tell his assistant that he was actually hoping that something would NOT happen. He absolutely did not want to see Myrna dragged up before King Uther and condemned to burn at dawn the next day. Myrna may not have been a threat to Camelot, but that did not mean she was completely harmless. Clothing was optional for the free-loving style of magic that she practiced, and that was the least of his objections. Gaius had no intention of exposing Merlin to the lusty variety of sorcery that he had seen from Myrna and her coven, especially at his age.

"No, I am not expecting anything to happen. Unless you're referring me to seeing you taking that bucket out before going to bed."

Merlin looked over his shoulder at the bucket by the door, brimming with the leavings of their meal and soggy, smelly residue of his potion-making for the afternoon. Resigned, he went to it, grabbed the bucket handle and opened the door. He did not say anything on his way out to empty it over the wall, but the last glance back to Gaius said that he did not believe his mentor's denial.

Sighing toward the closed door, Gaius had to acknowledge that Merlin was a very perceptive young man. But he was going to do everything he could to keep Myrna and her free-loving magic away from Merlin.

Nothing happened that night. No running or shouts or alarms from the guards. Gaius was restless. What trouble could she cause or get into on her quest to talk to the dragon that Uther kept chained under the castle? Of course he would not hand her over to be burned as a sorceress. But it had been foolish for him to tell her that. Perhaps the threat of Uther's law would have forced her to leave.

Gaius fell into a restless sleep and was unaware that anything had transpried overnight until he woke suddenly.

The room was gray with early morning half-light from the window. The sun wasn't up yet.

Lying on his side, he listened carefully. There was something . . . in the room . . . with him . . . a noise. He looked behind him.

Myrna was there. Her magic, golden amulet hung between her enormous bare breasts, pale as double moons.

"Aaaah!" Gauis might have tipped his narrow cot over and fallen out, but Myrna's weight on the other side kept it upright while he scrambled out and faced the naked woman on his bed.

"What are you doing here?" He pointed at the blanket. "Put something on!"

She casually lifted his discarded blanket and loosely draped it around herself.

"Good morning," she smiled cheerfully.

"Shhhhhhh!," he hissed back. "Quiet! How did you get in here?"

She shrugged innocently. "The door wasn't locked." She at least showed him the courtesy of keeping her voice low.

"That is _not_ what I mean! And what are you doing in my bed? Like _that_?" He whispered his outrage at her as loud as he dared.

Dropping her good humor, she sighed. "Believe me, I would not be here if I didn't have to be. It's all that damn dragon's fault."

"You talked to it?"

"Yes, I did." She fingered the cord around her neck; Gaius thought he saw an extra golden glint from the amulet. "The dragon breathed on it. I've got all the proof I need. But that idiot beast burned all my clothes off doing it. And had a good laugh about it, too."

"Really? And why didn't he burn you up while he was at it?"

"I warded myself against that. I wouldn't walk into any dragon's lair if I hadn't. I just . . . " she hugged a big fold of blanket to her, just barely high enough over her bosom to claim a minimum of modesty. " . . . forgot to do my clothes while I was at it."

"That's not the first time you've ever forgotten your clothes for something." Gaius knew that Myrna did all her highest magics naked. Clothing seemed to be optional for most of her lesser magics as well.

"Hah. Very funny." She pursed her lips at him. "Unfortunately, I can't really get out of here without attracting attention to myself. And I don't have what I need to magic myself out. Not that I'd do anything like that," she hastened to add when she saw his expression. "And I almost got caught."

"You did?" Gaius froze. Could an alarm been raised last night without him hearing it? Or did Myrna use magic to silence it despite her promises?

"Yes. Some guard caught a glimpse of me." She hugged herself.

Did she look embarrassed? Gaius would not have thought that possible for the lusty witch. He sat down on the bed, though still a good arm's length away from her.

"He was at the end of a corridor. There as only one torch so the light wasn't very good and he just froze in place with his mouth hanging open." She spoke as much to herself as to him. "Then he said 'Mother?' and looked away long for me to run down a side corridor. He didn't follow me and I don't need to find out what he meant by that."

Gaius had thought he would ask her if she knew which guard it was or if she could describe him, but now he did not want to know.

"So after that close call, I thought I might pop in here and borrow some of your old rags, to at least get me out, back to the trader's tent at least. I've got a spare dress there."

Gaius shook his head at her, though he was grateful that she seemed to have shown so much restraint about using magic.

A door behind him opened.

"Gaius, have you got someone here? I thought I heard - - "

Whirling around, Gaius found his young apprentice standing in just his pants and plain shirt, mouth open, blue eyes wide.

Next to him on the bed, Myrna had not only dropped the blanket, she had cast it aside, leaving her completely uncovered.

"Oh, Good morning!" she gushed cheerfully

"Aaah, aaah, aaah, uuum. . . ." The young man started moving sideways, as if looking for an escape from a bear he had accidentally woken up. But his eyes stayed fixed on Myrna.

"Merlin!"

Merlin jumped.

"Oh, aaah, I can see you're busy." His eyes now darted back and forth between Gaius and Myrna. "I just. . . . have to go serve Arthur his breakfast."

Unless he was going hunting, Arthur didn't generally rise for another hour at least. Frowning, Gaius stood. But he didn't know what he could do or say. It didn't help that Myrna kept her breasts pointed as Merlin as he backed away from them.

"I can see you're busy . . . I'll just go now . . . " He ran the last few steps to the door, opened it just wide enough for him to escape and was gone, slamming it shut behind him.

With an accusing glare, he whirled back to Myrna, but she put her hands on her hips, utterly guiltless.

"If that young man hasn't seen a woman's body at his age, then it's long past time he should." She straightened, now pointing her breasts at him. "And by the way, why didn't you tell me about him?"

"Tell you what?"

"Oh, maybe some little things about him having a massive talent for magic and some destiny he has about uniting the kingdoms of Albion with Prince Arthur when he becomes king."

"How do you know about that?" he demanded and then immediately knew the answer to his own question. "The dragon. Why would the dragon tell you about that?"

"I don't know. Why would that beast burn all my clothes off? Why does a dragon do anything? And if you're so tired of looking at me," she cupped her breasts, "why don't you find something that I can cover myself with to get me out of this castle before more people are up and about."

Gaius got up, waving his hand back at her. Impressive as her physique was (especially at her age), he would never acknowledge it. He went to his chest of drawer and started taking things out while she continued.

"Really, Gaius, if a dragon tells you about someone's destiny, it's pretty damn serious. Why wouldn't you call on me? Or someone else to help train that young man? Especially if the fate of all of Albion is at stake."

"Thank-you, no. I am seeing to his training," Gaius told her over his shoulder while he shifted bundles of clothes.

"You? You, Gaius? What could you possibly have to teach him? You couldn't possibly think that you could teach him any magic. Your skills were always only marginal at best."

Pulling out a drab, long tunic, he stood. "Really?"

"Yes, really. You were always trying to use your science on it, and I can tell you that science can only get you so far with magic if you don't have the heart for it." She put her hand on her nude body just to show what kind of heart she used.

"Well, then I suppose I and my science will have to do for Merlin's education." He walked back and stood over her. "I don't want you, or any of your friends anywhere near Merlin. Is that clear?"

Tight-lipped, she glared back. And then lowered her eyes. "Yes. Quite clear."

Stunned, he waited for the argument that didn't come. He finally handed her the tunic. "Put this on."

She grabbed it, stood and held it out. It was old, stained and frayed, the cloth worn smooth and thin in places with many years of use. Gaius had intended to make rags out of it, but had not gotten around to it. But it was clean and the stitching on it was still intact, so it would hold together long enough to keep Myrna covered until she was out of the castle.

Surprising him again, she put it on with an expression of disgust, but no verbal complaint. She patted her amulet down into place under it.

"Thank-you. I'll be gone then."

He held a hand up. "I'm going with you. I want to make sure you make it out of the castle with no incidents."

She held her hands up in surrender. "As you wish."

They left together. Life in the castle was just getting started. Servants rushed to their tasks, the guards changed shifts and none of them did any more than nod as they passed Gaius and Myrna. But Gaius did not relax until they exited the castle grounds anyway. Myrna gave a long sigh with a backwards glance up at the castle turrets as they entered the town, heading toward the merchant's tents.

"I can't really say you're wrong about not wanting any help with Merlin's magic; and his destiny," she said walking at his side. "Look at me, coming here of all places so I can talk to a dragon to keep a couple of my friends from killing themselves. Makes we wonder if Uther Pendragon is all that bad."

"How do you mean?" he asked, curious.

"I mean that I've seen the inside of that castle. It's clean, well ordered, the servants and guards are loyal. And look at this town. Nobody starving; no toughs making their own law over the ones who don't have swords. Looks like people are mostly happy with how things are run around here. Uther might be a ruthless tyrant about magic, but he obviously takes good care of his kingdom. For a lot of people, that's all that matters in a king," she finished unhappily.

"I hope you're not thinking of giving up magic and moving here." Gaius looked around them cautiously, but there was no one near to hear them.

"Hah! Never!" She slapped his arm. "But I've seen people spend two years learning the thirteen names of fire just so they can burn their step-father's house down. Or seven years learning how to the ways of the wood sprites just so they can use them to drag their uncle into a bog. And other things, worse. Compared to that, Uther Pendragon, doesn't look all that bad."

Gaius cautiously looked around them again.. "Magic can be a force for good. At least I think so. And Merlin certainly does."

"So do I," she agreed. "But lately I haven't seen a lot of it." Gaius thought he heard a touch of bitterness in her answer, but he did not ask anymore about her backhanded sympathy toward Uther.

When they got to the trader's tent, she ducked inside. While he waited, the man laying out their wares didn't give Gaius any more then a glance and a grunt, apparently not concerned about where Myrna might have been for the night.

She came out soon enough wearing a gray dress with a wide skirt, tight to her waist, her usual low neckline and ample cleavage. He took back his long tunic.

"Thank-you." He folded it over his arm. "And not to be too blunt about it, I hope not to see you around here again."

Myrna put her hands behind her back and sighed. "Given the times, I have to agree with you. But maybe . . . " she smiled mischievously " . . . when Albion is united, as it is destined to be . . . " she extended her arm and let one finger trail down his chest. Gaius deliberately did not flinch away from her, " . . . we can see each other again."

Disapproving, Gaius pursed his lips back at her. She narrowed her eyes and he finally relented.

"I appreciate your discretion. And perhaps, if times change, you will be able to visit again."

She pulled her arm back and swiveled her shoulders flirtatiously. "I'll look forward to the day. Just take good care of that boy with all that destiny inside him."

"I will. Good-bye, Myrna." He bowed his head to her.

She curtsied. "Good-bye, Gaius."

With great relief, he walked back up the lane of merchants to the castle.

As Gaius approached his rooms, he thought he heard a noise and the door was ajar, but there was no one there. And when he looked into Merlin's room, he found the young man's boots and coat gone. Gaius supposed that he could forgive Merlin for staying away the whole day. He got his own breakfast from the kitchen (Merlin usually got it for both of them) and after eating and disposing of the dishes he went to the council chamber.

The king's other advisers were already there.

"What?" Gaius asked two of them who were staring at him.

"Nothing, nothing." "Nothing." They averted their eyes. Puzzled, Gaius went to stand by his seat.

King Uther was by a window with Prince Arthur who was speaking intently to his father . . .

Gaius groaned silently to himself. He needed to have a serious talk with Merlin about gossiping.

Holding his hands up, emphatically cupping the air in front of his chest, Arthur looked like was giving his father a pretty good description of what Merlin had seen on Gaius's bed that moring. Gaius casually looked the other way when Uther's surprised gaze turned in his direction. A moment later, the King and Prince took their places and everyone else sat down.

"You're looking well, this morning, Gaius," Uther began with a nod.

"Thank-you, Sire." He nodded back, but the King continued scrutinizing him.

"Quite fit, in fact. Especially for a man of your years."

"Very fit, father." Arthur agreed. Some of the others at the table nodded as well. Gaius knew that it had to be all over the castle by now that he'd had a woman in his rooms last night. There would be gossip and speculation and winking in his direction. But he supposed . . . it was far better for them to be talking about a woman in his bed than a witch in the castle. And if all they were talking about was how virile and fit he was . . . at his age . . . well, there were worse things that people could say about a man.

"Yes indeed, Sire." He smiled graciously back to them all. "I am feeling quite fit this morning."

**)()o()o()o()o()( END )()o()o()o()o()(**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> All characters belong to Shine and/or BBC Wales; I am just playing in their sandbox.


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